Safety fuse and adaptor plug for electrical appliances



NCES

H. SHAPIRO April 21, 1953 SAFETY FUSE AND ADAPTOR PLUG FOR ELECTRICALAPPLIA Filed April 21. 1952 INVEN TOR. HYMAN SHAPIRO Patented Apr. 21,1953 OFFICE SAFETY FUSE AND ADAPTOR PLUG FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES HymanShapiro, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application April 21, 1952, Serial No. 283,434

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety fusesand adapters for electrical appliances.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of animproved fuse hearing attachment plug having means to hold a replaceablefuse conveniently accessible for inspection and replacement and forprotecting the circuit in case of a short circuit in the appliance whichis connected in the circuit.

Another object of the present invention proposes forming the fusebearing attachment plug so that a cover panel continually bears againstthe fuse holding it firmly in its socket clips.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the fusebearing attachment plug so that the condition of a fuse can be seenwithout removing the plug.

The invention further proposes arranging the structure so that a fusemay be replaced in the plug without removing any more than a slidablecover.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, to the appended claims in which the variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

On the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an attachment plug constructed andarranged in accordance with the present invention, the cover panelsbeing slid back and parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the plug with the fuse cover panel removed.

Fig. 3 is similar side view of the plug looking at the side oppositethat shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line t'% of Fig. 2 but with the fuseand cover panels removed.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but with the cover panels and fuse inplace.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to l but with the cover panelsshown in place.

Fig. 7 is a rear end view of the plug.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, an attachment plug has abody 59 generally rectangular in shape and made of non-conductingmaterial. ihe body has a front end i I and a rear end !2 with twoopposed narrow side edge faces l 3 and it and wider flat top and bottomfaces i5 and 0% respectively.

A pair of prongs l7 and i8, made of conducting material and adapted toinsert in a wall outlet or the like. are fastened to the body at itsfront end H as by screws H) of conducting material. Cutout portions 28and 2| in the front end H of the body may be made for attaching theprongs and later filled by blocks of insulating material (not shown).

The body it of the plug is provided with a recessed chamber 22 behindprong I1 and formed by a recess being made in the side edge face l3.This recess extends from the rear end i2 of the body to a short distanceof the cutout portion 29 at the front end of the body. The recess orchamber 22 has opposed side walls 23 and 24 and a back wall 25.

A pair of spaced retainer clips 26 and 27 are located in chamber 22 andfastened to back wall as by screws 28 and 29. The retainer clips areadapted to hold a fuse having terminal ends 3i and 32 separated by afuse strip 33 enclosed in a glass tube 36 (see 2). This fuse stripshould not be less than 8 amperes.

The clips are spaced so that clip 25 is adapted to receive and removablyhold terminal end iii of the fuse and clip 23' the terminal end 32.

A conductor element or strip 35 is positioned behind clip 2'! when theclip is made of conducting material (as shown) and is bent so that theend of the screw l9 holding prong I! to the body contacts it to connectone clip with one prong.

The other clip, 26, is connected with one wire 36 of an electricalappliancecorcl 3! as by a con" ductor plate 38, a screw 39 and a washerIf desired, the clips 25 and 2'! may be made of non-conducting'materialin which event screws 28 and 29 will be the conducting elements for theclips. I1" the clips themselves are of conducting material, their armsbecome the conducting elements for current to pass through the fuse.

The other side face 64 is provided with a similar but shallow recess Mand in this recess a conducting strip 42 is attached to the body as byscrews 53. The second wire. 44 of cord 37 is fastened to the rearwardone ofthese screws. The conducting strip 62 is connected with prong 18by the screw 4% holding this prong to the body, this screw extendinginto recess ii and contacting the conducting strip 42.

Sliding cover panels 45 and .45 are provided to cover the fuse chamberorrecess 22 and the cppo site recess 4|, grooves 5'. and 28 (see Fig. areprovided in the opposed sidewalls 23 and 24 of the recess 22 slidably toreceive cover panel :35. Similar grooves 49 and 50 (see Fig. 4) areprovided in the opposite side walls of the recess fill. Preferably coverpanel 45 has azclear trans:

parent portion 51 which is provided with a cam surface which liesadjacent the fuse clips and fuse when the panel is in place in itsgrooves, for producing a tight electrical contact.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment plug for electrical appliances comprising a rectangularbody of non-conducting material, a pair of insertion prongs ofconducting material fixed to the body at one end thereof, said bodyhaving a recess in one side forming a fuse chamber behind one of theprongs, a pair of spaced fuse retainer clips fastened to the body in therecess, a pair of spaced conducting elements one at the rear of eachclip, one of the clips being adapted to hold one terminal end of a fuseagainst its conducting element and the other clip adapted to holdanother terminal end of the fuse against its adjacent conductingelement, means to connect one of said elements to one of the prongs andmeans to connect the other conducting element with one wire of anappliance cord and means in the body to connect the other prong with asecond Wire of the cord, said body recess having opposed side walls anda back wall, said fuse clips being mounted on the back wall, means inthe opposed side walls slidably to receive a cover panel, and a coverpanel slidable in said means to cover the recess.

2. An attachment plug for electrical appliances comprising a rectangularbody of non-conducting material, a pair of insertion prongs ofconducting material fixed to the body at one end thereof, said bodyhaving a recess in one side forming a fuse chamber behind one of theprongs, a pair of spaced fuse retainer clips fastened to the body in therecess, a pair of spaced conducting elements one at the rear of eachclip, one of the clips being adapted to hold one terminal end of a fuseagainst its conducting element and the other clip adapted to holdanother terminal end of the fuse against its adjacent conductingelement, means to connect one of said elements to one of the prongs andmeans to connect the other conducting element with one wire of anappliance cord and means in the body to connect the other prong with asecond wire of the cord, said body recess having opposed side walls anda back wall, said fuse clips being mounted on the back wall, means inthe opposed side walls slidably to receive a cover panel, and a coverpanel slidable in said means to cover the recess, grooves in the sidewalls slidably to receive a cover panel, and a cover panel slidable inthe grooves.

3. An attachment plug for electrical appliances comprising a rectangularbody of non-conducting material, a pair of insertion prongs ofconducting material fixed to the body at one end thereof, said bodyhaving a recess in one side forming a fuse chamber behind one of theprongs, a pair of spaced fuse retainer clips fastened to the body in therecess, a pair of spaced conducting elements one at the rear of eachclip, one of the clips being adapted to hold one terminal end of a fuseagainst its conducting element and the other clip adapted to holdanother terminal end of the fuse against its adjacent conducting ele- 4ment, means to connect one of said elements to one of the prongs andmeans to connect the other conducting element with one wire of anappliance cord and means in the body to connect the other prong with asecond wire of the cord, said body recess having opposed side walls anda back wall, said fuse clips being mounted on the back wall, means inthe opposed side walls slidably to receive a cover panel, and a coverpanel slidable in said means to cover the recess, grooves in the sidewalls slidably to receive a cover panel, and a cover panel slidable inthe grooves, said grooves being spaced from the back wall to positionthe cover panel against a fuse in the clips when the terminal ends ofthe fuse are firmly in contact with the conducting elements.

4. An attachment plug for electrical appliances comprising a body ofinsulating material, insertion prongs of conducting material fastened tothe body, said body having a recessed chamber behind one of the prongs,spaced retaining conductor clips in the chamber fastened to the body,one of said clips adapted to receive and removably hold one terminal endof a fuse and the other clip adapted to hold another terminal end of thefuse, a conductor element connecting one clip and one prong, meansassociated with the other clip to connect it with one wire of anappliance cord and means to connect the other prong with a second wireof the cord, said body being rectangular in shape having two opposednarrow side edge faces, the chamber being in one of these faces, saidchamber having opposed side walls and a back wall, grooves in the sidewalls slidably to receive a cover panel, a cover panel of non-conductivematerial slidable in the grooves, said grooves being spaced from theback wall to position the cover panel against a fuse in the clips whenthe terminal ends of the fuse are firmly in contact with the conductingelements.

5. An attachment plug for electrical appliances comprising a body ofinsulating material, insertion prongs of conducting material fastened tothe body, said body having a recessed chamber behind one of the prongs,spaced retaining conductor clips in the chamber fastened to the body,one of said clips adapted to receive and removably hold one terminal endof a fuse and the other clip adapted to hold another terminal end of thefuse, a conductor element connecting one clip and one prong, meansassociated with the other clip to connect it with one wire of anappliance cord and means to connect the other prong with a second wireof the cord, said body being rectangular in shape having two opposednarrow side edge faces, the chamber being in one of these faces, saidchamber having opposed side walls and a back wall, grooves in the sidewalls slidably to receive a cover panel, a cover panel of non-conductivematerial slidable in the grooves, said grooves being spaced from theback wall to position the cover panel against a fuse in the clips whenthe terminal ends of the fuse are firmly in contact with the conductingelements, said cover panel having a transparent portion adjacent thefuse clips when the panel is in place in the grooves.

6. An attachment plug for electrical appliances comprising a body ofinsulating material, insertion prongs of conducting material fastened tothe body, said body having a recessed chamber behind one of the prongs,spaced retaining conductor clips in the chamber fastened to the body,one of said clips adapted to receive and removably hold one terminal endof a fuse and the other clip adapted to hold another terminal end of thefuse, a conductor element connecting one clip and one prong, meansassociated with the other clip to connect it with one wire of anappliance cord and means to connect the other prong with a second wireof the cord, said body being rectangular in shape having two opposednarrow side edge faces, the chamber being in one of these faces, saidchamber having opposed side walls and a back wall, grooves in the sidewalls slidably to receive a cover panel, a cover panel of non-conductivematerial slidable in the grooves, said grooves being spaced from theback wall to position the cover panel against a fuse in the clips whenthe terminal ends of the fuse 6 are firmly in contact with theconducting elements, said cover panel having a transparent portionadjacent the fuse clips when the panel is in place in the grooves, saidtransparent portion including a cam surface which lies adjacent the fuseclips and fuse when the panel is in place in its grooves for producing atight electrical contact.

HYMAN SHAPIRO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

